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Old 01-01-2003, 08:51 PM   #16
DaveO
Dojo: Great Wave Aikido
Location: Alberta, Canada
Join Date: Jun 2002
Posts: 543
Canada
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An interesting question; particularly since the poll results are so even; that makes it a great topic of conversation.

For myself; I agree with Peter: define 'limits'. There are two; which has of course already been stated; a person's percieved limit; where he feels he can't go farther, and his actual limit, where he actually can't. I've yet to see a single Aikido class that took anyone anywhere close to their actual limit; while the percieved has been crossed many times.

I also agree with Si Wilson; it depends on the student. In our dojo, for instance, there are a few - myself included - who learn best when under pressure; who like to push the boundaries of what we can do. As I've said before, this gets me into trouble sometimes when I try something and wind up over my head. Still, that's how I learn. There are others in the dojo whom I would never push, even if it would ultimtely help them, for this reason: For an instructor to take a student beyond his percieved limits, he must use a certain amount of aggressive tactics. However well-meaning, supportive and lighthearted, these tactics are still aggressive, and some students simply either don't want that or aren't willing to deal with it - Aikido is as relaxing to them as it is stimulating to me. Attempting to push these folks would spoil their experience, if not drive them away entirely, IMO.

Answers are only easy when they're incomplete.
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